Harp construction

ABSTRACT

A lever mechanism for manually fretting the strings of a harp from a flat to either a natural or a sharp note. A pair of fret blocks are fastened to the neck of the harp for longitudinal adjustment relative to each harp string. Each block includes a fret bar extending transversely of the string, beneath it, and having a generally Vee-shaped fret formed therein. A lever is mounted on the block over the string and in position to have a cam surface brought to bear, upon manual pivoting of the lever, against the string to force it into seated relationship in the fret. The cam surface has a decreasing radius of curvature as it contacts the strings so that initial travel of the lever results in relatively little displacement of the string whereby the final travel of the lever results in a substantial displacement of the string into engagement with the fret.

Christiansen June 19, 1973 1 HARP CONSTRUCTION Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin 75 Inventor: Henmn Chrlstlansen Oak Lawn, lll. 1 g AttorneyJames P. Hume, Patrick H. Hume and [73.] Assignee: Lyon & Healy, Inc., Chicago, Ill. Ri h d G Li et 1 [22] Filed: Aug. 24, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT PP N05 174,393 A lever mechanism for manually fretting the strings of a harp from a flat to either a natural or a sharp note. 52 us. (:1 84/266, 84/208, 84/312 A P of fret blocks are fastened to the neck of 51 1m. (:1. Gl0d 1/04 p for longitudinal adjustment relative to eaCh p [58] Field of Search 84/208, 264-266, String- Each block includes a fret bar extending trans- 84/312 versely of the string, beneath it, and having a generally Vee-shaped fret formed therein. A lever is mounted on [56] References Cited the block over the string and in position to have a cam UNITED STATES PATENTS surface brought to bear, upon manual pivoting of the I lever, against the string to force it into seated relationg i ship in the fret. The cam surface has a decreasing ra- 1925 sg 842264 dius of curvature as it contacts the strings so that initial 2 812 681 11/1957 -Cal'l'0rl...:... 84/266 travel of the lever results in relatively lime displace ment of the string whereby the final travel of the lever FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS results in a substantial displacement of the string into 540,560 10/1941 Great Britain 84/264 engagement with the fret.

v 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures i H z/ r /7/ 3/ 4 /4Z w l m -4 2 am 7/ 5- s al -vi! -4 ill/z a 5:1,? [0 '9 i l P)? l 76 71 [fly l w Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,680

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented June 19, 1973 3,739,680

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k ill HARP CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to musical instruments and, more particularly, to harps. It deals specifically with an improvement in mechanism for fretting the strings of a harp.

A conventional harp comprises a base from which a column extends vertically. A sounding box extends from the base at an angle to the column. The upper ends of the column and sounding box are interconnected by a neck, the configuration of which preferably describes a harmonic curve. The strings of the harp are anchored at their lower ends in the boxs sounding board and, at their upper ends, are fixed to the neck by means of tuning pins. The pins can be rotated for tuning the strings by drawing them tight over stationary guide nuts which determine the maximum length of the strings. 1

It is customary in tuning harps to tune the strings flat. The natural notes and also the sharps are obtained by shortening the length of the strings in successive segments comprising one-eighteenth of the remaining string length. In the larger, more expensive harps, concert style, for example, this is accomplished by a harpist operated mechanism through pedals while the harp is being played. In general, rotatable discs carrying pins engage the strings at different elevations to decrease their effective vibrating length. In thismanner, the strings are caused to produce a natural tone or a sharp tone, the latter being one-half note higher than the natural.

Simpler mechanisms for shortening the harp strings are, as might be expected, available in less sophisticated harp constructions. Developed hundreds of years ago, the so-called Irish harp employs a lever mechanism which is preset manually. Other modern harps use variations of this so-called manual lever mechanism. It isnot, of course, as versatile as the aforedescribed concert style harp but is obviously simpler and less expensive.

The manual lever mechanisms on such less expensive harps have draw-backs, in addition to their diminished versatility. The lever mechanisms of the type found on the Irish harp displace the strings laterally from their normal paths when the strings are fretted. This changes the feel of the harp to the harpist; a slight but not insignificant factor in determining. the ease and attractiveness of playing the harp. The manual lever mechanisms presently in use on modern harps displace the strings considerably while rubbing along them for a'substantial distance as the strings are fretted. This causes the strings to fray with constant use. Furthermore, no manually operated fret lever system heretofore known has permitted two step fretting to bothjnatural and sharp notes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved manual lever mechanism for fretting the t wherein the levers engage the strings in such a manner that fraying of the strings is reduced. It is yet another object to provide an improved manual lever mechanism which affords simple adjustment of the fretting positions linearly of the respective strings to adjust for string shortening through warpage of the sounding board, for example.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accord with the present invention by providing a manual lever mechanism including, for each harp string, a pair of lever units including fret blocks fastened to the front face of the harp neck in alignment with the corresponding strings. The blocks of each pair of fret blocks are longitudinally adjustable relative to the string in question. Each block has a fret bar in which is formed a V- shaped fret in alignment with the string and displaced immediately below it. Bracketing the string and the fret bar are stanchions which mount lever arms for pivotable movement about axes displaced above the corresponding string, extending perpendicularly thereto, and parallel to the neck face.

Manual pivoting of the selected lever arm forces the corresponding string downwardly into the V-shaped fret beneath the lever arm. The-lever arm engages the string with a cam surface which deflects the string gradually at first and then at an accelerating rate so that most deflection takes place over a relatively short span of cam surface.

The length of the string is effectively shortened by the distance between the guide nut and the fret, raising the tone of the string from a flat to either a natural or a sharp, depending upon which of the two levers are actuated. Should the sounding board of the sound box hecome distorted in use, causing a shortening of the harp strings, the blocks are adjustable longitudinally of the strings on the neck face so as to move the fret positions proportionally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention, including its construction and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a harp incorporating a manual lever mechanism embodying features of the present invention for fretting the harp strings;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, illustrating the lever mechanism in substantial detail;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lever mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2, with parts removed; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FREFERRED EMBODIMENT ends to the sounding board 25 of the harp, the sounding board forming the generally fiat, upturned side of the sounding box 15. Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, also, the strings 21 are fixed to the neck 16 of the harp by means of tuning pins 26. The tuning pins 26 can be rotated in a well-known manner to tighten or loosen the strings over stationary guide nuts 27 and, accordingly, tune the strings.

It is customary in tuning harps to tune the strings 21 flat. The natural notes and also the sharps are obtained by shortening the length of the strings, something which is accomplished according to the present invention by a manual lever mechanism 30 associated with each string. The lever mechanisms 30 are manually adjusted by the harpist to shorten a selected string or strings by a predetermined length and produce a natural note or, in the alternative, to produce a note which is one-half note higher than the natural for its respective string; i.e., a sharp.

The manual lever mechanism 30 includes an upper lever unit 31 and a lower lever unit 32 fastened to the face 28 of the harp neck 16 in vertical alignment with the string 21. By manually manipulating either the upper lever unit 31 or the lower lever unit 32, the harpist can selectively fret the harp string 21 to raise the tone propagated by plucking the string from a flat to a natural note, or from a flat to a sharp note, respectively, according to the present invention.

The lower lever unit 32 (lower meaning that it extends vertically below the upper fret unit 31) comprises a reverse-L shaped fret block 40 including an upstanding leg 41 and a horizontally extending foot 42. The leg 41 is seated flush against a plate on the face 28 of the harp neck 16 and fastened thereto by a mounting screw 44 which extends through a vertically elongated slot 45 in the leg 41. In the lever mechanism 30 illustrated, the screw 44 fastens both the upper lever unit 31 and the lower lever unit 32 to the face 28 of the harp neck 16, as illustrated, so the screw head does not bear directly against the leg 41 of the fret block 40 in securing it tightly to the neck. By loosening the screw 44, vertical adjustment of the fret block 40 on the neck 16 is facilitated because of the elongated slot 45 through which the screw extends into the neck. The purpose of this vertical adjustment is hereinafter'discussed.

The foot 42 of the fret block 40 includes a solid inner section 50, on the outer face 51 of which is formed a transversely extending fret bar 52. The elongated outer surface 55 of the fret bar 52 has a Vee-shaped depression or fret 60 formed therein in alignment with the string 21 and displaced below the normal path P of the string 21. The fret 60 is machined in a Vee-shaped configuration so that its side walls lie in planes disposed parallel to the normal path P of the string 21 while its apex 62 is inclined toward the leg 41 of the fret block in an upward direction.

Bracketing the fret bar 52 and extending outwardly of the base section 50 of the fret block foot 42 are stanchions 65. .lournalled between the stanchions on pivot pins 66 is the manual fret lever 70.

The manual fret lever 70 includes an actuator handle 71 at its outermost end and an actuator cam surface 72 at its innermost end. By pivoting the lever 70 in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 2, with the use of the actuator arm 71, the harpist forces the actuator cam surface 72 into engagement with the string 21 which, for purposes of illustration let us assume is in its normal path P. Continued rotation of the lever arm 70 forces the string inwardly toward the fret bar 52 until it seats snugly in the Vee-shaped fret 60. The cam surface 72 has a gradually decreasing radius of curvature while the surface moves progressively further from the pivot pin (at a progressively decreasing rate due to the decreasing radius) until dead center is passed; i.e., where the surface begins to move back toward the pin 66 axis. As a result, the string is deflected slowly through much of its initial travel and rapidly in the latter part of its travel.

The lever arm moves the cam surface 72 very slightly past dead center where it is stopped by a stop pin 75. In this position, as illustrated, the string 21 extends from its engagement with the cam surface 72 toward the fastening point with the sounding board 25 at an angle approximating the angle of inclination of the apex 62 in the Vee-shaped fret 60. With the cam surface 72 of the lever arm 70 pivoted slightly past horizontal dead center, as illustrated, the dimensions of the lever arm 70 are such that the string 21 is seated snugly against the sides of the Vee-shaped fret 60, along the vertical extent of these sides.

As the cam surface 72 forces the string 21 from its normal path P substantially into the position illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, the string remains in lateral alignment with its normal path. In other words, it is not laterally displaced by action of the lever arm. At the same time, the cam surface 72 engages the string 21 and displaces it at an accelerating rate until maximum travel is effected just as the cam surface 72 reaches dead center. Wear or fraying of the string 21 is minimized in this manner.

When it is desirable to pivot the lever arm 70 so as to move the cam out of engagement with the string 21, the harpist grasps the handle 71 of the lever arm 70 and rotates it in a counterclockwise direction until the lever engages the stop pin 76. The lever arm 70 remains in this position until the harpist again wants to raise the strings tone one full note from its flat to its sharp, whereupon the harpist actuates the corresponding lever arm 70 in the manner hereinbefore discussed.

The lever arm unit 32 is that which establishes the sharp note, as pointed out. The lever unit 31, on the other hand, is positioned to shorten the effective length of the string between the guide nut 27 and the sounding board-25 by a lesser distance to raise the flat tone onehalf note to its natural tone.

The lever unit 31 is identical inconstruction to the fret unit 32 hereinbefore described, except for certain dimensional variations which will hereinafter be described. Since the construction and arrangement of components is identical to that of the lever unit 32, however, detailed description of corresponding components of the lever unit 31 is unnecessary. For purposes of identification, lever unit 31 are designated by the reference numerals given the components of the lever unit 32, plus digits.

As is readily apparent, the foot 142 of the fret block is relatively shorter than the foot 42 of the fret block40, since the fret block 140 is seated on the leg 41 of the fret block 40. This nesting of the fret blocks 40 and 140 is required in the area of the harp neck 16 to which the shorter strings of the harp 10 are attached, because of the paucity of space available. The lever units 31 and 32 are, when associated with the longer strings of the harp at the opposite end of the neck 16,

corresponding components of thevertically separated and individually secured directly to the face 28 of the neck 16 by two fastening screws 44.

In addition to this dimensional difference, the fret bar 152 of the fret block 140 is dimensional so that the Vee-shaped fret 160 is positioned closer to the normal path P of the string 21. The length of the cam surface 172 on the lever 171 is, correspondingly, shorter. As a result, when the lever arm 170 is actuated to fret the string 21 at its natural note position on the fret 160, the string 21, in extending from the fret 160 to its anchor on the sounding board 25, does not engage the fret 60 on the fret bar 52.

The manner in which the string 21 is shortened to provide natural and sharp notes, according to the invention, has now been described. It is recognized that the positioning of these frets 60 and 160 is critical to obtaining precisely the natural and sharp notes desired. This result is achieved as long as the length of the strings between the fixed guide nuts 27 and the sounding board 25 remains unchanged.

Unfortunately, because of variations in environmental conditions in which the harp is stored and played, some warpage of the sounding board 25 usually cannot be avoided. In addition, the great stress to which the sounding board 25 is subjected by the many strings of the harp actually does cause some distortion of the board. Effective lengths of the strings tend to diminish slightly. With the present invention, the lever units 31 and 32 can be vertically adjusted on the neck 16 of the harp by loosening and retightening the screw(s) 44 so that the frets 60 and 160 are, once again, positioned to fret at precise one-eighteenth increments of the string length. To permit this adjustment, the slots 45 and 145 are elongated sufficiently to a point immediately adjacent the foot 142 of the fret block 140, whereby the guide nut 27 extends freely through these slots.

The lever mechanism 10, including the lever units 31 and 32, represents the first manually operated system for fretting a harp wherein two step fretting from a flat to either a natural or a sharp note is facilitated. This is possible because of the construction and nested arrangement of the lever units.

While the embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A lever mechanism for fretting a harp string extending between the harps neck and the sound box, comprising:

a. a fret block secured to the harp neck beneath the g string,

b. fret means on said fret block for seating the string,

c. lever means pivotable about an axis and having an actuator surface thereon,

d. actuation of said lever means by pivoting it in one direction about said axis being effective to cause said actuator surface to force the string into seated relationship on said fret means, and l e. stop means positioned in the path of movement of said lever means as it pivots in said' one direction 6 being engaged by said lever means and effective to stop (for stopping) pivotal movement of said lever means in said one direction after the point of engagement of said actuator surface with the string has passed dead center relative to said axis and said string has been seated in operational relationship on said fret means.

2. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said actuator surface comprises a cam surface,

b. said cam surface has a gradually decreasing radius of curvature while the surface moves progressively further from said axis until dead center is passed whereby the rate of displacement of said string toward the fret means accelerates as the lever is pivoted at aconstant rate toward dead center.

3. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said fret means comprises a generally Vee-shaped notch formed on said fret block in alignment with the harp string,

b. the harp string being forced into seated relationship in the fret means against the side walls of said Vee-shaped notch substantially along their length.

4. The lever mechanism of claim 3 further characterized in that:

a. said Vee-shaped notch has an apex inclined toward the harp neck,

b. said actuator surface deflecting the string to seat in the fret means an angle to the neck corresponding substantially to the angle of inclination of said fret means apex.

S. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that:

a. said fret block includes leg means secured to the face of the harp neck substantially in longitudinal alignment with the string, and

b. foot means extending perpendicularly to said surface of the neck,

c. said .fret means being formed on said foot means beneath the string,

d. said lever means being pivotally mounted on said foot means.

6. The lever mechanism of claim 5 further characterized by and including:

a. a fret bar formed on said foot means and extending transversely of the harp string, I

b. said fret means being formed on said fret bar in longitudinal alignment with the harp string.

7. The lever mechanism of claim 6 further characterized by' and including:

a. means securing said leg means to the face of the harp neck for longitudinal adjustment relative to the harp string.

8. A lever mechanism for fretting a harp string extending between the harps neck and its sound box, comprising:

a. a first fret block secured to the harpmechanism under the string,

b. said first fretblock including generally vertically extending leg means and generally horizontally extending foot means protruding outwardly of the harp neck,

c. first fret means on said first fret block for seating the harp string,

01. lever means pivotally mounted on said foot means of said first fret block and effective to force the harp string into seated relationship on said first fret means,

e. a second fret block secured to the harp mechanism beneath the harp string,

f. said second fret block including generally vertically extending leg means and generally horizontally extending foot means protruding outwardly of the harp neck, 4

g. second fret means on said second fret block for seating the harp string, and

h. second lever means mounted on said second foot means and effective to force the harp string into seated relationship on said second fret means,

i. said second fret block being seated on said first fret block with the leg means of said second fret block sandwiched over the leg means of said first fret block.

9. The lever mechanism of claim 8 further characterized in that:

a. said first fret block and said second fret block are longitudinally adjustable relative to the harp string and relative to each other.

10. The lever mechanism of claim 8 further characterized in that:

the length of its side walls. 

1. A lever mechanism for fretting a harp string extending between the harp''s neck and the sound box, comprising: a. a fret block secured to the harp neck beneath the string, b. fret means on said fret block for seating the string, c. lever means pivotable about an axis and having an actuator surface thereon, d. actuation of said lever means by pivoting it in one direction about said axis being effective to cause said actuator surface to force the string into seated relationship on said fret means, and e. stop means positioned in the path of movement of said lever means as it pivots in said one direction being engaged by said lever means and effective to stop (for stopping) pivotal movement of said lever means in said one direction after the point of engagement of said actuator surface with the string has passed dead center relative to said axis and said string has been seated in operational relationship on said fret means.
 2. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said actuator surface comprises a cam surface, b. said cam surface has a gradually decreasing radius of curvature while the surface moves progressively further from said axis until dead center is passed whereby the rate of displacement of said string toward the fret means accelerates as the lever is pivoted at a constant rate toward dead center.
 3. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said fret means comprises a generally Vee-shaped notch formed on said fret block in alignment with the harp string, b. the harp string being forced into seated relationship in the fret means against the side walls of said Vee-shaped notch substantially along their length.
 4. The lever mechanism of claim 3 further characterized in that: a. said Vee-shaped notch has an apex inclined toward the harp neck, b. said actuator surface deflecting the string to seat in the fret means an angle to the neck corresponding substantially to the angle of inclination of said fret means apex.
 5. The lever mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said fret block includes leg means secured to the face of the harp neck substantially in longitudinal alignment with the string, and b. foot means extending perpendicularly to said surface of the neck, c. said fret means beIng formed on said foot means beneath the string, d. said lever means being pivotally mounted on said foot means.
 6. The lever mechanism of claim 5 further characterized by and including: a. a fret bar formed on said foot means and extending transversely of the harp string, b. said fret means being formed on said fret bar in longitudinal alignment with the harp string.
 7. The lever mechanism of claim 6 further characterized by and including: a. means securing said leg means to the face of the harp neck for longitudinal adjustment relative to the harp string.
 8. A lever mechanism for fretting a harp string extending between the harp''s neck and its sound box, comprising: a. a first fret block secured to the harp mechanism under the string, b. said first fret block including generally vertically extending leg means and generally horizontally extending foot means protruding outwardly of the harp neck, c. first fret means on said first fret block for seating the harp string, d. lever means pivotally mounted on said foot means of said first fret block and effective to force the harp string into seated relationship on said first fret means, e. a second fret block secured to the harp mechanism beneath the harp string, f. said second fret block including generally vertically extending leg means and generally horizontally extending foot means protruding outwardly of the harp neck, g. second fret means on said second fret block for seating the harp string, and h. second lever means mounted on said second foot means and effective to force the harp string into seated relationship on said second fret means, i. said second fret block being seated on said first fret block with the leg means of said second fret block sandwiched over the leg means of said first fret block.
 9. The lever mechanism of claim 8 further characterized in that: a. said first fret block and said second fret block are longitudinally adjustable relative to the harp string and relative to each other.
 10. The lever mechanism of claim 8 further characterized in that: a. each of said fret means comprises a generally V-shaped notch formed on a corresponding fret block in alignment with the harp string, b. the harp string being forced into seated relationship in the corresponding fret means against the side walls of its V-shaped notch substantially along the length of its side walls. 